1. Technical Field
The invention relates to developer cartridges, image forming apparatuses and shutter devices.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer has been well-known. Such an image forming apparatus includes, for example, an image-bearing body that bears a latent image, and a developing section that makes the latent image borne by the image-bearing body visible using developer as a developer image. When image signals, etc. are transmitted from such external devices as a computer, the image forming apparatus makes a latent image borne by the image-bearing body visible as a developer image using the developing section, and transfers this developer image onto a medium and finally forms an image on the medium.
Further, the image forming apparatus has a developer cartridge for supplying the developing section with developer. The developer cartridge includes, for example, a shutter that opens and closes and a container for containing developer; when the shutter opens, developer inside the container is supplied to the developing section. In addition, the developer cartridge can be attached to and detached from an image-forming-apparatus body, and includes a handle member for grabbing the developer cartridge in attaching/detaching of the developer cartridge.
By the way, in order to move developer inside the container to the outside thereof (for example, to supply the developing section with the developer), it is necessary to properly open and close the shutter. On the other hand, if a complicated mechanism is provided in order to properly open and close the shutter, there is a risk that it induces increase of the number of components. Therefore, there is a need for a method that allows a simple configuration to properly open and close the shutter.
Furthermore, among image forming apparatuses are those including: a first opening and a second opening that are provided opposing each other and through which developer can pass; a first shutter that can move between a first closing position at which the first shutter covers the first opening and a first opening position at which the first shutter exposes the first opening; and a second shutter that can move between a second closing position at which the second shutter covers the second opening and a second opening position at which the second shutter exposes the second opening. Besides, the first shutter and the second shutter are provided adjacent to each other between the first opening and the second opening; developer can pass through the first opening and the second opening when the first shutter is located at the first opening position and the second shutter is located at the second opening position.
By the way, as a configuration which to open and close the first shutter and the second shutter, two configurations are proposed: one is a configuration in which the first shutter and the second shutter each move and open/close independently, and the other is a configuration in which one of the two shutters moves and opens/closes in conjunction with movement of the other shutter.
However, the former of the above-mentioned two configurations is likely to induce increase of the number of components. On the other hand, in the latter configuration, movement of two shutters is likely to be restricted. For example, assume that one of the two shutters presses the other one and moves from its opening position to its closing position. In such a case, the other shutter is pressed by the one shutter, and thereby the other shutter moves from its opening position to its closing position. Therefore, the two shutters stops simultaneously, and this restricts movement of the two shutters.
Moreover, among image forming apparatuses are those including a shutter device that can open and close. The shutter device is for allowing and restricting movement of developer between two units, for example. The shutter device includes a sealing member that includes an opening through which developer can pass and that is for preventing developer from spilling, and a shutter that can move between a first position at which the shutter covers the opening of the sealing member and a second position at which the shutter exposes the opening of the sealing member; the sealing member prevents developer from spilling while being pressed by the shutter. When the shutter moves to and is located at the second position (that is, when the shutter opens), developer can move between the above-mentioned two units.
However, there is a risk that the sealing member cannot sufficiently prevent spillage of developer when the shutter is located at the second position (that is, when the shutter opens).
For example, if, when opening, the shutter presses (compresses) only a part of the circumferential section of the opening of the sealing member, a section at which the thickness of the sealing member changes steeply will be formed in the circumferential section of the opening. There is a risk that, when the shutter opens, this causes a gap to be formed between the sealing member and an opposing member that the sealing member opposes, and that developer that is moving between the above-mentioned two units spills from the gap.
Note that JP-A-2001-83788 is an example of the related art.